Written Answers Tuesday 26 January 2010

Scottish Executive

Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28574 by Shona Robison on 6 November 2009, when the results of the survey on the impact of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 will be made available.

Shona Robison: Joint work with COSLA is progressing to analyse the responses to the survey of local authorities. I anticipate the outcome will be available in the spring.

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the provisions of the Adults with Incapacity Act 2000 have been used following concerns raised by a family member, carer or guardian regarding the inappropriate prescribing of drugs to an adult with incapacity.

Shona Robison: There are no specific provisions under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, as amended, in respect of inappropriate prescribing. Rather, the act sets out a framework for regulating intervention in the affairs of adults who lack, or may lack, capacity. In the case of medical treatment, part 5 of the act provides a statutory framework for regulating the actions of registered medical practitioners, and others acting with their authority, in providing medical treatment to adults who lack capacity.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28522 on 6 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

Alcohol Misuse

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost has been to the Scottish Ambulance Service of incidents of alcohol abuse in each of the last five years, broken by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not centrally held.

Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a local authority that has implemented changes to the rules and devices that it uses to regulate the disposal of waste generated by allotment holders without obtaining confirmation from the Scottish Ministers in terms of section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892 is obliged to revert to the previous rules and devices until such confirmation has been obtained.

John Swinney: Regulations made to manage allotments in terms of section 6(1) of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892 should be formally confirmed by Scottish ministers. Regulations, made under this provision have no legal effect without ministerial confirmation. It would be for the local authority to resolve any waste management issues that arose.

Audiology

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged over 60 were given NHS hearing aids in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 30 to 60 were given NHS hearing aids in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

Audiology

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged under 30 were given NHS hearing aids in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is currently not held centrally.

Census

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 2011 census will contain questions on an individual’s health and finances and, if so, what the reasons are for including such questions.

Jim Mather: We will shortly be asking Parliament to approve the draft Census (Scotland) Order which will set out the proposed 2011 census questions. In line with Scotland’s Census 2011: A Government Statement , laid before Parliament in December 2008 (Bib. number 47152), we will be recommending that the census asks the same two questions as the last census about an individual’s health (health over the last 12 months and long-term illness, health problem or disability which limits daily activities or work). We will also be recommending a new question about whether an individual has a long-term health condition (such as deafness) and a question about the total income of the household (but not individual incomes).

  Information relating to general health provides a good indication of the demand for health services, while also contributing to the monitoring of delivery of health care and the assessment of progress towards better population health. It is also an important variable in analyses of deprivation. The question on long-term health problems or disabilities provides the only measure of disability in small areas and contributes to policy development on improving healthy life expectancy. It also helps allocate resources for the care of elderly people. The new question on health conditions will enable more specific policy and service planning and provision than has been previously been possible in relation not only to health services but also to social justice and housing. It will potentially be used in the development and monitoring of policies for tackling inequality and social exclusion, as well as in analyses of the effect of different conditions on the likelihood of economic activity. It also has potential for use in matching reported conditions with take up of services. Household income information will provide a measure of deprivation and affluence for small geographic areas. This in turn will provide a useful indication of living standards and allow identification of areas of poverty. Such data will inform decisions about resource allocation and service delivery as well as identifying areas in need of investment. Analysis of income data alongside other census information will allow better understanding of the characteristics of people with differing levels of income. It may also provide a more detailed insight into the need for affordable housing, the relationship between disability and poverty, the reasons for differences in financial welfare across Scotland and the links between take up of benefits and social inclusion.

Central Heating

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29731 by Alex Neil on 18 December 2009, what action was taken in 2009 to publicise the Energy Assistance Package and invite applications and how such action varied across local authority areas.

Alex Neil: The Energy Savings Trust, which administers the Package, promoted the EAP both at national and local level and provides regular reports on marketing and community liaison activities. These reports do not analyse activity by local authority, but give examples of local organisations contacted.

  Examples are given for the third quarter of 2009 of both national campaigns and the type of work that is undertaken at local level by the Energy Savings Scotland advice centres (ESSacs).

  - A national television campaign ran from 18 September to 11 December, which was targeted at 73.5% of the TV viewing audience. It is estimated that the ad would be seen up to 12 times. This was reinforced with a national direct mailing campaign in October covering 106,000 households assessed as having a high probability of being eligible for stages 3 and 4 of the EAP.

  - Each ESSac made phone calls to households who had previously contacted them for energy savings advice, to invite them to contact the Energy Assistance Package.

  - Community Liaison Officers in the ESSacs undertook many different EAP marketing activities in 2009 including:

  -presentations to stakeholder groups working with our target beneficiaries;

  -exhibition stands at relevant conferences and events;

  -leaflets sent to contacts within key stakeholder organisations, and

  -letters sent to nurseries within schools.

  - They also undertook national liaison activities, including MSP/MP constituency visits, presentations to national stakeholder groups, updates to service delivery partners, briefing with a national carer network to secure training for their information workers and leafleting across their members, and attendance at relevant national conferences where information was issued to delegates and led to further dissemination of information about EAP.

  It is also possible to identify some activities specific to Shetland:

  - A direct mailing was sent in late September to around 900 households in Shetland South Mainland, co-branded with the Shetland Amenity Trust. The letter invited people to complete a Home Energy Check questionnaire and promoted the EAP.

  - On 23 October, an EAP advertisement was included in The Shetland Times’ four-page feature on Energy Saving Week.

  - The Highlands and Islands Energy Savings Scotland advice centre (ESSac) has a dedicated Outreach Engagement Officer in Shetland. The ESSac has undertaken a range of activities to promote the EAP in Shetland:

  -community advice surgeries;

  -presentations to community councils;

  -posters and leaflets in doctor’s surgeries throughout Shetland;

  -discussions with key organisations in the area, including the local authority, insulation and heating system installers, and

  -meetings with organisations that deal with the families with young children and older households (for example, a meeting with the Association of Pre-School Play led to an editorial piece in their Shetland-wide pre-school nursery newsletter).

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many of the fines issued in shoplifting cases remain outstanding and (b) what their value has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of shoplifters have been repeat offenders in each year since 1998-99 and how many such offenders have committed (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five to 10 and (v) more than 10 crimes, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The data in the following table are taken from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database and are based on individuals with a charge proved for shoplifting. Information about whether or not individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution is not held centrally. However, the table shows the number of these individuals who had a previous charge proved in court for any offence, at least once, in the previous 10 years. The previous charge has been identified as having a date of sentence which is earlier than the date of sentence for the latest charge of shoplifting.

  In 2007-08, 5,133 individuals had a charge proved in court for shoplifting. Of the 5,133 individuals convicted for shoplifting in 2007-08, 3,353 individuals (65 per cent) had another charge proved for shoplifting, in the previous 10 years.

  Persons Convicted of Shoplifting1 in 2007-08, with a Previous Offence1 for Shoplifting by Local Authority2 and Number of Shoplifting Offences since 1997-981

  

 
 Number of Shoplifting Offences1,3
 


 Local Authority
 2
 3
 4
 5 to 10
 11 and over
 All


 Aberdeen City
 50
 34
 24
 86
 78
 272


 Aberdeenshire
 10
 5
 2
 18
 8
 43


 Angus
 15
 8
 9
 21
 5
 58


 Argyll and Bute
 4
 1
 2
 2
 .
 9


 Clackmannanshire
 11
 2
 2
 20
 9
 44


 Dumfries and Galloway
 18
 6
 13
 26
 9
 72


 Dundee City
 52
 55
 27
 110
 69
 313


 East Ayrshire
 24
 22
 19
 45
 38
 148


 East Lothian
 5
 3
 1
 4
 1
 14


 East Renfrewshire
 3
 .
 1
 2
 1
 7


 Edinburgh, City of
 86
 42
 33
 108
 68
 337


 Eilean Siar
 1
 .
 .
 .
 1
 2


 Falkirk
 16
 14
 10
 24
 32
 96


 Fife
 35
 34
 23
 65
 48
 205


 Glasgow City
 127
 91
 58
 195
 183
 654


 Highland
 25
 7
 6
 30
 18
 86


 Inverclyde
 15
 6
 5
 25
 9
 60


 Midlothian
 3
 2
 1
 6
 1
 13


 Moray
 11
 3
 1
 11
 4
 30


 North Ayrshire
 10
 1
 3
 3
 1
 18


 North Lanarkshire
 31
 21
 13
 26
 21
 112


 Perth and Kinross
 21
 8
 9
 35
 20
 93


 Renfrewshire
 34
 18
 19
 37
 29
 137


 Scottish Borders
 10
 7
 2
 5
 1
 25


 Shetland Islands
 2
 .
 .
 .
 1
 3


 South Ayrshire
 15
 8
 9
 30
 25
 87


 South Lanarkshire
 49
 25
 25
 46
 31
 176


 Stirling
 20
 7
 11
 16
 16
 70


 West Dunbartonshire
 21
 13
 7
 25
 19
 85


 West Lothian
 31
 12
 10
 24
 7
 84


 Scotland
 755
 455
 345
 1045
 753
 3353



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Based on local authority of the index shoplifting offence in 2007-08.

  3. Including the index 2007-08 shoplifting offence.

  This analysis has been completed for the most recent year of data only, by examining the frequency of shoplifting convictions for those convicted of shoplifting in 2007-08. The ability to match data using the personal identifiers available in the dataset diminishes when using the older data, so it is not possible to produce equivalent results for previous years on a consistent basis.

  In addition, the data in the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database are derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the data provided.

  Some national trend data are presented in the Scottish Government Reconvictions Statistical Bulletins, though it should be noted that this is a different type of analysis to that described above, based upon reconvictions in the two years following the index shoplifting convictions. This information is summarised in the following table. It has been taken from the reconvictions bulletins published on the Scottish Government website.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PubReconvictions.

  Reconviction Rates for Shoplifting, 1997 to 2005-06

  

 Cohort
 Number Convicted of Shoplifting in Cohort
 Number Reconvicted for Shoplifting within 2 Years
 Percentage with a Reconviction for Shoplifting within 2 Years.


 1997
 3,673
 1,359
 37%


 1999
 3,544
 1,453
 41%


 2003-04
 3,697
 1,738
 47%


 2004-05
 3,830
 1,762
 46%


 2005-06
 3,759
 1,729
 46%



  Source: Reconvictions of offenders:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PubReconvictions.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of people convicted of shoplifting have been (i) male and (ii) female in each year since 1998-99, also broken down by age group.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table:

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish courts for Shoplifting Crimes1 1998-99 to 2007-08

  

 Type of Accused: All Persons
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Under 21
 2,134
 2,059
 1,792
 1,763
 1,618
 1,243
 1,123
 1,143
 1,066
 934


 21-30 
 3,396
 3,668
 3,611
 4,220
 4,673
 4,153
 4,304
 4,101
 4,099
 3,981


 over 30 
 2,029
 2,026
 1,942
 2,383
 2,535
 2,727
 3,000
 2,918
 3,383
 3,492


 All
 7,559
 7,753
 7,345
 8,366
 8,826
 8,123
 8,427
 8,162
 8,548
 8,407


 Type of Accused: Female Person
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Under 21
 563
 570
 511
 534
 502
 441
 378
 329
 318
 289


 21-30 
 984
 1,047
 941
 1,117
 1,258
 1,215
 1,197
 1,143
 1,094
 1,147


 over 30 
 580
 559
 525
 629
 687
 785
 891
 793
 891
 921


 All
 2,127
 2,176
 1,977
 2,280
 2,447
 2,441
 2,466
 2,265
 2,303
 2,357


 Type of Accused: Male Person
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Under 21
 1,571
 1,489
 1,281
 1,229
 1,116
 802
 745
 814
 748
 645


 21-30 
 2,412
 2,621
 2,670
 3,103
 3,415
 2,938
 3,107
 2,958
 3,005
 2,834


 over 30 
 1,449
 1,467
 1,417
 1,754
 1,848
 1,942
 2,109
 2,125
 2,492
 2,571


 All
 5,432
 5,577
 5,368
 6,086
 6,379
 5,682
 5,961
 5,897
 6,245
 6,050



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

  Percentage of Persons with a charge proved in Scottish courts for shoplifting crimes(1) 1998-99 - 2007-08

  

 Gender / age
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Females
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Under 21
 7
 7
 7
 6
 6
 5
 4
 4
 4
 3


 21-30 
 13
 14
 13
 13
 14
 15
 14
 14
 13
 14


 over 30 
 8
 7
 7
 8
 8
 10
 11
 10
 10
 11


 All
 28
 28
 27
 27
 28
 30
 29
 28
 27
 28


 Males
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Under 21
 21
 19
 17
 15
 13
 10
 9
 10
 9
 8


 21-30 
 32
 34
 36
 37
 39
 36
 37
 36
 35
 34


 over 30 
 19
 19
 19
 21
 21
 24
 25
 26
 29
 31


 All
 72
 72
 73
 73
 72
 70
 71
 72
 73
 72



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the report of a BBC investigation, Crime gangs "dominate shop theft", on the BBC website on 11 January 2010, what action it is taking to address the finding that shoplifting is at its highest for a decade.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling organised crime in all its forms. In order to support business we are providing funds for the Scottish Business Crime Centre, which is a partnership between business, police and government to raise awareness of crime and help business to combat it.

  Their work includes effective anti-shoplifting initiatives such as Retail Radio Links which improves the quality of communications and co-operation between retailers; a production of Targeting Retail in Scotland - A Training Booklet for Staff which is a retail crime prevention booklet, and working closely with Retailers Against Crime (RAC) which circulates information to over 600 stores, including police intelligence offices, throughout the UK.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of offenders with a charge proved where the main offence was shoplifting in 2007-08 were identified as having been involved in serious and organised crime.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders with a charge proved where the main offence was shoplifting in 2007-08 had previously been convicted of (a) shoplifting or (b) another offence, broken down by type of offence.

Kenny MacAskill: The data in the following table are taken from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database and are based on individuals with a charge proved for shoplifting. Information about whether or not individuals had a criminal record at the time of prosecution is not held centrally. However, the table shows the number of these individuals who had a previous charge proved in court for any offence, at least once, in the previous 10 years. The previous charge has been identified as having a date of sentence which is earlier than the date of sentence for the latest charge of shoplifting.

  The data in the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database are derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the data provided.

  In 2007-08, 5,133 individuals had a charge proved in court for shoplifting.

  Of the 5,133 individuals convicted for shoplifting in 2007-08, 3,353 individuals had another charge proved for shoplifting, in the previous 10 years.

  Of the 5,133 individuals convicted for shoplifting in 2007-08, 4,650 individuals had another charge proved for any offence, in the previous 10 years. The breakdown of their most recent offence is presented in the table below.

  Persons convicted for shoplifting1 in 2007-08, who had a previous conviction for another offence between 1997-98 and 2007-08, by type of offence of most recent offence (before the index shoplifting offence in 2007-08):

  

 Type of offence
 Number


 Homicide
 1


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 37


 Robbery
 56


 Other non-sexual crimes of violence
 11


 Indecent assault
 1


 Lewd & indecent behaviour
 1


 Other crimes of indecency
 17


 Housebreaking
 182


 Theft by opening a lockfast place
 73


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle
 29


 Shoplifting
 1,725


 Other theft
 313


 Fraud
 54


 Other crimes of dishonesty
 100


 Fire-raising
 7


 Vandalism etc
 133


 Crimes against public justice
 263


 Handling an offensive weapon
 122


 Drugs
 344


 Other crimes
 5


 Common assault
 268


 Breach of the peace
 412


 Drunkenness
 7


 Other miscellaneous offences
 169


 Dangerous and careless driving
 17


 Drunk driving
 51


 Speeding
 22


 Unlawful use of vehicle
 203


 Vehicle defect offences
 3


 Other motor vehicle offences
 24


 Total
 4,650



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Diabetes

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have a managed clinical network for diabetes.

Shona Robison: Each of the 14 NHS boards has a diabetes Managed Clinical Network.

Diabetes

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have a managed clinical network for diabetes that has been evaluated by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Shona Robison: HDL(2007)21, Strengthening the Role of Managed Clinical Networks , indicates that local MCNs are now expected to seek accreditation from their NHS board, rather than NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, at an appropriate stage in their development. This approach is intended to integrate the MCNs with NHS boards’ service planning function.

  Prior to the start of the arrangements set out in HDL(2007)21, the diabetes MCNs in NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside had received NHS QIS accreditation.

Diabetes

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since publication of the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2008 in recording key measures for the estimated 10% for whom data were absent.

Shona Robison: The 2008 survey is clear that each NHS board needs to explore what is happening to the 10% of people for whom key diabetes measures were not recorded. In order to explore this, NHS Lothian conducted a follow-up audit of two diabetes clinics and found a variety of reasons for non-recording, including: patients not having diabetes; patients preferring not to attend; patients not realising they had diabetes; incorrect data entries, and patients changing clinics. The Diabetes Survey Group considers that these findings offer some reassurance that, for the most part, the care of this group of patients was not suboptimal.

  The Scottish Diabetes Survey 2009 will include an update on the performance of health services in obtaining and recording key diabetes information when it is published in March this year.

Direct Payments

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the leader of the City of Edinburgh Council on 2 December 2009 of an independent evaluation into the competitive tendering process, whether it has approached the council regarding the evaluation and, if so, what representations it has made on whether the evaluation will examine the fact that 466 service users have requested direct payments.

Shona Robison: The procurement of social care services is a matter for individual Councils; it would not be appropriate for ministers to intervene in local decision-making. We have, however, developed draft guidance on social care procurement, on which we are currently consulting http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/13125045/0 .

Direct Payments

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to carry out a broader inquiry into the competitive tendering process for care and support of vulnerable adults that would examine whether the City of Edinburgh Council has met the relevant recommendations in its 2008 Social Work Inspection Agency performance report and correctly implemented guidance and codes of practices for social work staff.

Shona Robison: The Social Work Inspection Agency undertook a follow-up inspection of City of Edinburgh Council in October 2009 to monitor progress made by the council in implementing the recommendations made in the 2008 performance inspection report. The report of the follow-up inspection was published in December 2009:

  http://www.swia.gov.uk/swia/files/City_of_Edinburgh_Performance_Inspection_Follow%20up_Report%20December%202009.pdf.

  The Scottish Government notes that the council has commissioned an independent evaluation of its competitive tendering process for care and support services. The procurement of social care services is a matter for individual councils. We have developed draft guidance on social care procurement, on which we are currently consulting http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/13125045/0.

Direct Payments

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received with regard to the City of Edinburgh Council’s proposal to introduce direct payment rates for individuals based on their categorisation by care group.

Shona Robison: In line with our guidance, it is for local authorities to determine direct payment rates. I understand that the City of Edinburgh Council have not yet decided to apply new rates for direct payments.

Direct Payments

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council about its proposal to set rates for direct payments based on categorisation by care group.

Shona Robison: Officials are in regular contact with the City of Edinburgh Council to obtain updates on the proposed new direct payment rates.

Drug Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people had a charge proved in court for supply of drugs offences in the Lothian and Borders police force area in 2008-09 and what disposals were applied to them, broken down by type of drug.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested for 2008-09 will be available on 9 March 2010 (when the 2008-09 Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts Statistical Bulletin  will be published). Details of forthcoming statistical publications on crime and justice are available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Search/Forthcoming .

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has given the advocacy support group, Independent Special Education Advice.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has awarded Independent Special Education Advice grant funding totalling £172,500 for the period August 2008 to June 2010.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when any current funding that it gives Independent Special Education Advice expires.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government funding to Independent Special Education Advice will expire June 2010.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on whether to continue funding Independent Special Education Advice beyond March 2010.

Adam Ingram: Independent Special Education Advice were informed on 15 January 2010 that Scottish ministers have agreed to continue funding them in the short term for the period April to June 2010 while proposals for the new advocacy service to support parents and young people in Tribunal proceedings under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 are being developed.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to deliver on the ministerial commitment at stage 2 of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill to provide £100,000 to establish a representative advocacy service at tribunals ( Official Report c. 2194).

Adam Ingram: An amendment was passed at Stage 3 proceedings of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill on 20 May 2009 placing a new statutory requirement on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in Tribunal proceedings.

  My officials are currently developing the scope of this service and next month I will be considering how best it can be organised and funded. The new service will be established for commencement of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 which is expected to be in autumn 2010.

Electricity

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the ministerial statement by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism on 6 January 2010 ( Official Report c. 22407), how many kilometres of the Beauly to Denny power line upgrade ministers will require the developers to place underground.

Jim Mather: As I said in my statement to Parliament on 6 January 2010 and to the Enterprise Energy and Tourism Committee on 13 January 2010, under Section 37 of the Electricity Act, under which the Beauly to Denny application was submitted, I have no powers to require the developers to place any of the line underground.

Electricity

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason ministers overruled the recommendations of the reporter for the public inquiry on the Beauly to Denny power line upgrade regarding the section near Auchilhanzie House, Crieff.

Jim Mather: On reaching my decision, I balanced the macroeconomic need for, and the benefits of, upgrading the existing line with the visual and landscape impact at locations along the whole route. The reporters found a compelling need and technical justifications for the overhead line solution. They recognised the pressing need to reinforce the electricity grid to accommodate renewable electricity generation in the north of Scotland. Crucially, they also found that the economic justification for the proposal was strong.

  On balance, I concluded that there were strong arguments for a whole-line solution, which outweighed the withholding of consent for the line at the section near Auchilhanzie House, Crieff. I have asked the developers to come forward with imaginative ideas to mitigate the visual impact in this area. I want them to do so as quickly as possible after careful consultation with affected parties.

Electricity

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason ministers overruled the recommendations of the reporter for the public inquiry on the Beauly to Denny power line upgrade regarding the section near Glenside, Plean.

Jim Mather: On reaching my decision, I balanced the macroeconomic need for, and the benefits of, upgrading the existing line with the visual and landscape impact at locations along the whole route. The reporters found a compelling need and technical justifications for the overhead line solution. They recognised the pressing need to reinforce the electricity grid to accommodate renewable electricity generation in the north of Scotland. Crucially, they also found that the economic justification for the proposal was strong.

  On balance, I concluded that there were strong arguments for a whole-line solution, which outweighed the withholding of consent for the line at the section near Glenside, Plean. I have asked the developers to come forward with imaginative ideas to mitigate the visual impact in this area. I want them to do so as quickly as possible after careful consultation with affected parties.

Enterprise

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses created through Scottish Enterprise’s Proof of Concept programme have continued to operate for longer than (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, and (e) five year(s).

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30583 on 20 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Equalities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25992 by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 August 2009, when the conference on race will take place.

Nicola Sturgeon: The first part of the Scottish Government Race Equality Conference took place on 15 December 2009. Minority ethnic community representatives were invited to take part in a discussion on where we are on race equality and our national outcome on identity. Around 170 delegates attended the conference. A second event is planned for later this year and will focus on public authorities.

Fisheries

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it received during 2009 asking it to revise the definition of the protected geographical indication status for Scottish farmed salmon; who made the representations, and what changes they were seeking.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to revise the definition of the protected geographical indication status for Scottish farmed salmon.

Richard Lochhead: We have received an application to amend the Scottish Farmed Salmon PGI from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation. Once this application is finalised the Scottish Government will issue it for public consultation.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to promote awareness of haemochromatosis.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to encourage early diagnosis of haemochromatosis by GPs.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider piloting testing for haemochromatosis in one NHS board area.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a cost-benefit analysis of national screening for haemochromatosis.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people has haemochromatosis.

Shona Robison: The GP curriculum includes genetics in primary care, such as recessive single gene disorders e.g. haemochromatosis and haemoglobinopathies (thalassaemia). Doctors who are training to be GPs need to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in this area and show that they are competent to manage the primary contact with patients and deal with unselected problems. GPs are also supported by health boards, post graduate deaneries, NHS Education for Scotland and others to undertake continuing professional development to acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills to address the needs of their patients. Scottish Government Officials have offered to attend the next meeting of the Haemochromatosis Society in Scotland to discuss raising awareness of the condition’s symptoms and providing patients with self help advice.

  The Scottish Government has committed to an evidence based approach to screening and is given expert, independent advice on screening programmes by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC sets out the criteria to assess screening programmes; the introduction of proposed new population screening programmes; the modification and withdrawal of existing programmes, and the quality and management of such programmes.

  The UK NSC currently advises that a national screening programme for Haemochromatosis should not be introduced. However, this advice is currently under review. Consequently at this point we have no plans to introduce a pilot screening programme for haemochromatosis.

  Information is not held centrally on the number of people who have haemochromatosis.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the Difficult Decisions Short Life Working Group; who its members are, and what its workplan is.

Shona Robison: The Difficult Decisions Short Life Working Group was an NHS Board group and there has been no direct involvement of ministers or Scottish Government policy officials. The remit of the group was to develop a framework that NHS boards can use when making difficult decisions, both in planning at a population level and when making decisions about individual patients.

  The membership was chaired by Dr Gina Radford, Director of Public Health, NHS Fife (now working in NHS Cambridgeshire) and included the following members:

  Ms Ailsa Brown, Principal Health Economist, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland

  Mr Brian Devlin, Interim Head of Strategic Support and Ethics, NHS Highland

  Dr Sara Davies, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Scottish Government

  Professor John Haldane, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Centre for Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, University of St Andrews

  Professor Graeme Laurie, Professor of Medical Jurisprudence, University of Edinburgh

  Ms Liz Macdonald, Senior Policy Advocate, Consumer Focus Scotland

  Ms Jackie Sansbury, Director of Strategic Planning, NHS Lothian

  Secretariat: Dr Graham Mackenzie, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian

  The workplan was to:

  build on discussions and conclusions from the "Difficult Decisions" national workshop (22 February 2008);

  consider the published literature on making difficult decisions in NHS boards;

  survey difficult decision making in planning and for individual patients across NHS boards and regional planning groups in Scotland;

  review key concepts within the group;

  assess the legal and ethical frameworks within which decisions must be made, and

  draft a report and circulate to members.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS Health Scotland is taking forward its role in supporting NHS boards to comply with legal duties on equality and eliminating discrimination.

Nicola Sturgeon: Responsibility for compliance with legal duties on equality and the elimination of discrimination rests with the individual NHS boards.

  Following the publication in 2009 of NHS Health Scotland’s report The Big Picture 2009: A review of progress on equality in the NHS in Scotland the Equalities and Planning Directorate is providing support and working with boards to agree and provide a planned programme of specific actions to help improve on areas where compliance on the equality duties was identified as a concern.

  The directorate is also working to support selected boards with a review of their disability schemes. These include: national support for translation, interpreting and communications; national support for community engagement; national support for Equality Impact Assessment; support in equalities data collection, monitoring and reporting.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff work in the Directorate of Equalities and Planning of NHS Health Scotland and what their different job remits are.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are 29 staff in total in the Directorate of Equalities and Planning, comprising three teams:

  (i) Planning and Performance Team (three staff) with a remit to provide the corporate planning and performance management function for NHS Health Scotland

  (ii) Equalities Development Team (15 staff) with a remit to support all NHS boards in the delivery of programmes to support equality priorities identified by the Scottish Government Health Directorates. These include: race equality in mental health services; national support for translation, interpreting and communications; national support for community engagement; national support for equality impact assessment, and support in equalities data collection, monitoring and reporting.

  (iii) Equalities Support Team (10 staff) with a remit to support all NHS boards in the improvement of equalities work within boards, including boards’ compliance with legal equalities duties.

  The general remits of individual staff within the directorate are programme or project management or administrative support. All management level staff have specific expertise in one or more equality areas.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what difference the Directorate of Equalities and Planning of NHS Health Scotland has made to the individual experience of (a) disabled people, (b) people from black and minority ethnic communities and (c) lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender people in achieving equality of access to health services.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30737 on 26 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  In addition NHS Health Scotland is delivering a number of programmes of work which are supporting boards to improve equality of access in the NHS. Examples include:

  Supporting NHS boards to engage with disabled people and also help staff to understand the specific needs of people with disabilities, leading to easier access to health services for disabled people;

  Hosting a mental health and race equality programme since 2006 to support practitioners to deliver equitable services to ethnic minority individuals and groups;

  Commissioning the Black Leadership Network to provide specialist review and capacity building to enable selected NHS boards to improve their race equality schemes;

  Providing national project management to support boards to combine their resources and experience in improving the quality and consistency of delivery of interpreting, translation and communication services;

  Involving Stonewall Scotland in the planning and delivery of facilitated support for NHS boards on equality in sexual orientation, and

  Involving the Scottish Transgender Alliance in workshops on experiences of health services to support boards improve services for transgender people.

  The Equalities and Planning Directorate is also working closely with the Better Together National Patient Experience Programme to gather information about the individual experiences of patients using GP and hospital services, disaggregated by equality characteristics.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the Directorate of Equalities and Planning of NHS Health Scotland, also broken down by (a) staffing and (b) programme costs.

Nicola Sturgeon: The budget for the Directorate of Equalities and Planning is £1,132,098. The breakdown is as follows:

  (a) Staffing and associated costs: £882,848.

  (b) Programme Costs: £249,250.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients, service users and community groups are involved on a regular basis in deciding the work and direction of the Directorate of Equalities and Planning of NHS Health Scotland and evaluating whether that work is having an impact on patients’ experience of the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Directorate of Equalities and Planning manages two community reference groups, which have 47 members in total. Of these, 25 are individual community members and 22 are representatives of community and voluntary sector organisations.

  The National Reference Forum (NRF) (for ethnic minority) and the Disability Reference Group (DRG) provide the perspective of people who are disabled and those from minority ethnic communities on key programmes of work undertaken by NHS Health Scotland.

  In August 2009, the directorate established service level agreements with 13 community and voluntary organisations which provide specialist advice to develop programmes that address inequalities in health, eliminate discrimination and promote equality, specifically through our programme of equality impact assessments.

  The knowledge and experience of these groups help inform the direction and work of the directorate, as do the views of other stakeholders such as the Scottish Government and NHS boards.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an equality impact assessment was carried out with regard to the proposal to appoint consultants to assist NHS Health Scotland communicate with MSPs.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government can confirm that NHS Health Scotland contracts and agency appointments are all tested through rigorous procurement procedures. This includes taking account of principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination in the tendering process. The pre-qualification questions are all compliant with the directives contained within the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and EU Procurement legislation. There is also a mandatory equality and diversity questionnaire which forms part of all of the tender documentation which is considered. This tender documentation is derived directly from the Scottish Government’s Procurement toolkit.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the value for money represented by NHS Health Scotland spending up to £300,000 on public relations consultants to help the organisation communicate with MSPs, over and above their publicity budget of £55,000.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government can confirm that NHS Health Scotland has decided not to proceed with a contract for an agency to assist them in ensuring there is an understanding of public health issues and campaigns across all stakeholders. These stakeholders include health professionals, the media, members of the public as well as MSPs.

  A decision has been taken to carry out all of NHS Health Scotland’s corporate communications activity in-house.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on NHS Health Scotland spending up to £300,000 to communicate with MSPs as a priority for action rather than investing the money in frontline services.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government can confirm that NHS Health Scotland has decided not to proceed with a contract for an agency to assist them in ensuring there is an understanding of public health issues and campaigns across all stakeholders. These stakeholders include health professionals, the media, members of the public as well as MSPs.

  A decision has been taken to carry out all of NHS Health Scotland’s corporate communications activity in-house.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost will be to local authorities of houses provided under national housing trust proposals.

Alex Neil: Under the proposals for a National Housing Trust, participating local authorities would be expected to fund 65% of the purchase price of any homes to be provided for affordable rent through the Housing Trust model in their area. As noted in the answer to question S3W-30251 on 21 January 2010, the upfront purchase price of the homes would depend on the outcome of a public procurement exercise under which any bids would be assessed to ensure they offer good value for public money.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost will be to developers of houses provided under national housing trust proposals.

Alex Neil: Under the proposals for a National Housing Trust, participating private sector partners would be expected to fund 35% of the purchase price of any homes to be provided for affordable rent through the housing trust model. As noted in the answer to question S3W-30251 on 21 January 2010, the upfront purchase price of the homes would depend on the outcome of a public procurement exercise under which any bids would be assessed to ensure they offer good value for public money.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Influenza

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in at-risk groups had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day, broken down by NHS board area.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people in at-risk groups had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day, broken down by NHS board area.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in at-risk groups had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day, broken down by at-risk category.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all people in at-risk categories to have received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination, broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: All health boards have indicated that vaccination has been offered to all those in the initial priority groups and a mop up exercise will continue to take place to the end of January, to ensure that everyone in the initial priority groups has been invited for vaccination and has the opportunity to accept that offer.

  Whilst we know that people have been invited, data is not collected on how many people do not turn up or refuse vaccination.

  As at 17 January, the estimated overall uptake rate for the clinical at-risk groups was 49.1%.

  The second phase of the vaccination programme, for children over six months and under five years of age, has commenced and will continue over the next few weeks. We anticipate most of the second phase to be completed by mid February, with some mop up activity to the end of February.

Influenza

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with type 1 diabetes had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with heart conditions had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all people with type 1 diabetes to have received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects all people with heart conditions to have received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people identified as having more than one at-risk condition had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day, broken down by NHS board area.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people identified as having more than one at-risk condition had not received the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination before Christmas day, broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: All health boards have indicated that vaccination has been offered to all those in the initial priority groups and a mop up exercise will continue to take place to the end of January 2010, to ensure that everyone in the initial priority groups has been invited for vaccination has the opportunity to accept that offer.

  Whilst we know that people have been invited, data is not collected on how many people do not turn up or refuse vaccination.

  As at 17 January, the estimated overall uptake rate for the clinical at-risk groups was 49.1%.

Influenza

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information and guidance leaflets it has provided specifically for the use of parents considering whether to vaccinate their children under the age of five against influenza A (H1N1).

Nicola Sturgeon: An information leaflet entitled Swine flu vaccination: information for parents of children over six months and under five years old  has been made available to parents of young children. NHS boards have been supplied with leaflets to distribute to parents along with the invitations to have their child vaccinated.

  The leaflet is available on the Scottish Government website and parents may also wish to contact the Scottish Swine Flu Vaccination Helpline on 08000 28 28 16 for further information about the vaccination.

Influenza

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information and guidance leaflets it has provided for pregnant women to assist them in deciding whether to seek vaccination against influenza A (H1N1) and to whom such literature has been distributed.

Nicola Sturgeon: An information leaflet entitled Swine flu and pregnancy: How to protect yourself and your baby  has been published and is also available on the Scottish Government website. NHS health boards, GP practices and Midwifery departments have been supplied with copies of the leaflet to distribute to pregnant women.

  Pregnant women may also wish to contact the Scottish Swine Flu Vaccination Helpline on 08000 28 28 16 for further information about the vaccination.

Justice

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether and how current and former service personnel are identified in the criminal justice system.

Kenny MacAskill: The profession of offenders is not held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database.

Justice

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ex-service personnel are released from prison on a (a) parole and (b) non-parole licence.

Kenny MacAskill: Since 1994, 66 prisoners who were reported as being ex-service personnel have been released on a parole licence and 65 on a non-parole licence. Five of these offenders, have been released on both licences for different sentences.

Justice

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ex-service personnel serving a community sentence have a (a) drug and (b) alcohol problem.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Justice

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it estimates that the new Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh will be open and operational.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the fingerprint bureau that is part of the forensic services based in Glasgow will move to the new Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30401 on 14 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Justice

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the fingerprint bureaux are planning to move to Gartcosh.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for the fingerprint bureau that is part of the forensic services based in Aberdeen to move to the new Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh and, if so, when.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for the fingerprint bureau that is part of the forensic services based in Dundee to move to the new Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh and, if so, when.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans for the fingerprint bureau that is part of the forensic services based in Edinburgh to move to the new Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh and, if so, when.

Kenny MacAskill: The fingerprint bureau contained within the Forensic Science Service (Glasgow) is planned to move to the Gartcosh Crime Campus. There are no plans for any of the other fingerprint bureaux in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh to move to the Crime Campus.

Justice

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports it has received from the Scottish Law Commission in each year since 1999; with regard to how many reports the recommendations have been implemented, and what action it has taken or proposes to take in relation to those reports with regard to which the recommendations have not been implemented.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Law Commission website contains information on the reports it has submitted to the Scottish Government and the Scottish Executive since 1999, together with information on follow-up action.

  http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/html/publications.php - reps.

  We have agreed with the Scottish Law Commission that a public statement of the Scottish Government’s position on reports will be made, with an initial response within three months of publication, offering initial views on the recommendations and next steps. The first report to receive such a response was the Report on Succession, published in April 2009.

  A joint working group of officials from both the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government is examining possible ways to increase the rate of implementation of Scottish Law Commission reports, and I look forward to seeing their report shortly.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Sheriffs’ Association regarding licensing appeals under the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has discussed the issue of Scottish Marine Bill marine licensing appeals with the Scottish Court Service, who provide input for the government on resourcing, including judicial resources, and on processing implications of legislation.

  The Sheriffs’ Association are not routinely consulted on standard processes, such as the Marine Bill appeals process.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it considers that compensation of a licensee would be required in the event of the revocation, suspension or modification of a marine licence under section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill in order for that provision to be compliant with the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions under Article 1 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executive considers the terms of section 23 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill to be compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Section 23 makes no provision for compensation to be paid in the event of revocation, suspension or modification of a marine licence.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the impact on a developer of a decision under section 23(1) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill to suspend, revoke or vary a marine licence for a breach of the licence is proportionate to the breach.

Richard Lochhead: Any decision to suspend, revoke or vary a marine licence would not be taken lightly. Marine Scotland would have to have good reason to reach such a decision, and would have investigated the breach of the licence conditions, and considered mitigation and compromises, where appropriate, prior to taking the action.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what examples it can give of relevant reasons under section 23(3)(d) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill for the suspension, revocation or variation of a marine licence.

Richard Lochhead: This provision exists so that action can be taken for an unforeseen circumstance. An example could be where a new dredging operation might disturb or recover something of great archaeological interest. In such instances, this provision could allow for appropriate mitigation to be put into place and the significance of any discovery to be properly evaluated.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the powers provided under section 18(3) and (4) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill will not be used to require private sector organisations to collect information for generic public use beyond that required to support development applications.

Richard Lochhead: The provisions within Section 18(3) and (4) allow Marine Scotland to collect information only for the purposes of allowing the effective consideration of an application and to make informed decisions when issuing a licence, attaching conditions to a licence or refusing a licence.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which types of projects will not be required to comply with section 17B of the Marine (Scotland) Bill and will therefore not be prescribed under section 17A.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether minor engineering works associated with renewables developments, such as repairs to electrical cables and small-scale redesign of turbine layouts, will be prescribed under section 17A of the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Richard Lochhead: Under section 17A, Scottish Ministers may by regulations prescribe classes or descriptions of licensable marine activity which will be subject to pre-application consultation. This is a new provision introduced to the bill during stage 2 and as yet exact details of the marine activities which would fall within the scope of the provision have not been determined. There will be a full consultation process on any relevant regulations but it is likely that minor, small scale projects or repairs would fall outwith the scope of the provision.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether appeals against licensing decisions under section 22 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill will be referred to a sheriff court even if the projects in question have received a decision on an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Richard Lochhead: Section 27 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill allows the marine licence and the Section 36 consent to be considered together. This will allow for a streamlined decision making process. If a project has received a section 36 Electricity Act consent it will still require the relevant marine licence for certain parts of the project to proceed. As such, it is only right that the applicant should have the right to appeal in the unlikely event that a marine licence is refused. In such cases appeal is likely to be to the sheriff court.

Marine (Scotland) Bill

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive to which types of public authority the restrictions in section 72 of the Marine (Scotland) Bill will apply.

Richard Lochhead: The restrictions of section 72 will apply to any body which is a public authority with the function of determining an application as described in section (1) of that section.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27698 by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 October 2009, when it will publish the final policy framework for the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is in the final stages of the preparation of guidance which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. The draft guidance was circulated to patient groups, stakeholders and NHS boards and will be made available to the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee for comment. The Scottish Government plans to publish the revised guidance by the end of March 2010.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what feedback it has had from (a) individual NHS boards, (b) the Difficult Decisions Short Life Working Group and (c) other stakeholders on the draft policy framework for the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS.

Shona Robison: In responding to the draft framework, the majority of responses from NHS boards and stakeholders welcomed the work being done to improve consistency in availability of new medicines across NHSScotland and acknowledged the complexity of the issues involved. A number of issues were raised in responses and these will be addressed either as part of the final published framework or as part of a further phase of work.

  The Difficult Decisions Short Life Working Group is an NHS board group and did not provide a separate response.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the letter to the Public Petitions Committee from the Deputy Director of the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Policy and Strategy Directorate on 27 July 2009, what other stakeholders it has consulted on the draft policy framework for the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS.

Shona Robison: As well as NHS boards, the draft framework was circulated to 37 stakeholder and patient groups as follows:

  Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

  British Medical Association

  Royal College of Nursing

  Scottish Cancer Coalition

  Scottish Long Term Conditions Alliance

  Scottish Medicines Consortium

  Scottish Independent Hospitals Association

  Scottish Partnership Forum

  Scottish Workforce and Staff Governance Committee

  Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care

  Regional Cancer Advisory Groups

  Consumer Focus Scotland

  Scotland Patients Association

  Citizens Advice Scotland

  Association for International Cancer Research

  Bowel Cancer UK

  Breakthrough Breast Cancer

  Breast Cancer Care Scotland

  Cancer BACUP

  Cancer Care Research Centre, Stirling University

  Cancer Research UK

  CLIC Sargent

  Leukaemia Care in Scotland

  Macmillan Cancer Support

  Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres

  Marie Curie Cancer Care

  Myeloma UK

  Parkinsons’ Disease Society

  Prostate Scotland

  Rarer Cancers Forum

  Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

  Scottish Association of Prostate Cancer Support Groups

  Scottish Breast Cancer Campaign

  Scottish Cancer Foundation

  Taktent Cancer Support

  Teenage Cancer Trust

  The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor implementation of the arrangements set out in its final policy framework for the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS.

Shona Robison: As outlined in the answer to S3W-28278 on 19 November 2009, the Scottish Government intends to review the implementation of the policy framework following a period of operation.

  In addition, active consideration is being given to monitoring arrangements which will underpin this guidance.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when Health Rights Information Scotland will publish its generic patient information leaflet on local arrangements for the introduction and availability of medicines.

Shona Robison: As outlined in the answer to S3W-27698 on 5 October 2009, work is progressing on the information leaflet for patients as commissioned by the Scottish Government from Health Rights Information Scotland. The draft leaflet has been tested with patients and the public and will be published in due course.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the extent to which NHS boards have made information about local arrangements for the introduction and availability of medicines available to patients.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has been working with NHS boards to review local processes and is preparing guidance for NHS boards which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. A key requirement within the guidance is the need for NHS boards to have written policies describing the systems and processes for the managed entry of new medicines and that these should be publicly available. It will be for NHS boards to ensure that this is delivered.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the letter to the Public Petitions Committee from the Deputy Director of the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Policy and Strategy Directorate on 27 July 2009, when a national network of Exceptional Prescribing Leads and Chairs of Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees will be established.

Shona Robison: Further to the Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees and Exceptional Prescribing Leads event facilitated by the Scottish Medicines Consortium on 12 May 2009, the Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Medicines Consortium to facilitate another event in the spring 2010. This will provide an opportunity to bring these groups together to consider issues related to the managed introduction of new medicines within NHSScotland, particularly around how best to achieve consistency of approach in relation to individual patient treatment requests.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database and when the data will be available for the NHS and patients to understand the uptake of new medicines.

Shona Robison: The Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database will provide access to high level cost and volume data on medicines use in hospitals. This has been developed and piloted and will cover all NHS boards during 2010 with the exception of NHS Highland who are currently reviewing their pharmacy system and are therefore outside the scope of phase one of the programme.

Medication

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sufficient data on medicine prescribing and usage to make an accurate assessment of any variations in practice across Scotland.

Shona Robison: Prescribing information derived from prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors is available at www.isdscotland.org/prescribing . These data can be used for monitoring trends and utilisation. Detailed prescribing information is available to NHS boards through PRISMS – the Prescribing Information SysteM for Scotland which is a web-based information system on all prescriptions dispensed in the community over the previous five years. NHS boards have prescribing advisors who monitor the use of medicines by GP practices using PRISMS information and who can provide expert interpretation of the data and assess the clinical appropriateness of prescribing.

  Variations in prescribing practice across Scotland can be influenced by a number of different local factors, for example, population size, patient demographics and deprivation and it is therefore important not to draw definitive conclusions from national data alone.

Medication

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being conducted by the Scottish Medicines Consortium with the National Medicines Utilisation Unit, the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland and other stakeholders to improve knowledge on the use of medicines across NHS Scotland.

Shona Robison: In 2006, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) commissioned the National Medicines Utilisation Unit (NMUU) to explore how SMC has impacted on and engaged with its key stakeholders and to examine how SMC advice has shaped medicines use across NHSScotland. This work was completed in September 2008 and a summary and full reports can be accessed at:

  http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/smc/3865.21.26.html.

  In response to the findings, the SMC made the following recommendations in relation to improving knowledge on the use of medicines within NHSScotland:

  SMC will consolidate existing work with agencies such as the Information Services Division and NHS National Services Scotland to explore the feasibility and benefit of routinely monitoring the uptake of SMC advice and the publication of this information regularly to interested stakeholders. This will use the information to NHSScotland on the prescribing and use of medicines in secondary care available through the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database.

  SMC will continue to work with ISD to develop systems to assess uptake of new medicines. A priority may be those medicines included in the SMC horizon scanning report Forward Look subsequently accepted by SMC. Again, this work will use the information to NHSScotland on the prescribing and use of medicines in secondary care available through the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database.

  SMC is currently collaborating with ISD to take these recommendations forward. Discussions are also taking place regarding further work to evaluate the impact of SMC advice.

  In addition, in relation to the framework being put in place for the assessment of patient access schemes (PAS), consideration is being given to processes to support monitoring of uptake of these medicines.

Medication

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database will allow for comparisons in the uptake of medicines in Scotland and between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe.

Shona Robison: The standardisation of the Drug Dictionary for Scotland will allow the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database to show comparisons across NHS Scotland both in terms of the costs and volumes of medicines. Where possible, the Drug Dictionary for Scotland is standardised in line with the UK dictionary of medicines and devices (dm+d) and is also mapped to the World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system to facilitate international comparison. Therefore comparisons may be made where compatible systems exist.

Medication

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the letter to the Public Petitions Committee from the Deputy Director of the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Policy Strategy Directorate on 27 July 2009, how it will (a) continue to ensure that guidance to NHS boards is being implemented and (b) manage boards that do not implement the guidance in a timely fashion.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government expects NHS boards and clinicians to take full account of Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) recommendations in the planning and provision of NHS services. Where there is evidence that an SMC or NHS QIS accepted medicine (or its equivalent) is not being made available, or there are undue delays in reaching such decisions, these will continue to be addressed directly with the NHS board concerned in order that appropriate action is taken where necessary.

  The decisions of individual clinicians in relation to patient care are a matter of professional judgement in line with clinical need. However, all NHS staff operate within the management framework of their employing organisations.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, when it now expects the new community hospital in Girvan to be completed.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that the planned completion date for the construction of the new community hospital in Girvan is 15 March 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, what the reason is for the delay in completing the new community hospital in Girvan.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that the delay in completing the new community hospital in Girvan has been due to a number of unforeseen technical problems that arose during the construction phase, including a key supplier of structural materials being unable to fulfil their contractual obligations and subsequently going into administration. This required a new supplier to be identified. The recent severe weather has also resulted in a further short delay.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12475 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 May 2008, when it expects the new community hospital in Girvan to be fully operational.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have advised that they expect the new community hospital in Girvan to be operational from 1 May 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been treated at (a) Glasgow’s Western Infirmary, (b) the Southern General Hospital, (c) Glasgow Royal Infirmary and (d) Stobhill Hospital due to falls on snow or ice since 15 December 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of people who have been treated for fall-related injuries during the recent severe winter weather in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospitals is not available from centrally collected, validated statistics.

  According to provisional management information, during the period 1 January to 4 January 2010 there were approximately 59% more orthopaedics related attendances at accident and emergency departments in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde when compared to the same period last year.

  Official statistics on accident and emergency attendances is published on the Acute Hospital Care section of ISD’s website at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4024.html.

  The next publication is scheduled for 24 February 2010 and will include data up to 31 December 2009.

  The subsequent publication is scheduled for 25 May 2010 and will include data up to 31 March 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether financial provision is in place to support specialist emergency childcare teams following the closure of the Queen Mother’s Hospital in Glasgow and, if so, whether such provision will be maintained and developed until 2015.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that fully resourced maternity services – including specialist maternity and paediatric services underpinned by robust clinical protocols – are in place, and will remain so.

NHS Hospitals

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards operate an advance order system for inpatient meals.

Nicola Sturgeon: Detail about the ordering systems of NHS boards is not held centrally. However, general practice by the majority of hospitals is to operate an advance order system.

NHS Hospitals

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors food waste in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is for NHS boards to manage.

  However, to help them do so, Health Facility Scotland’s Catering Advisory Group have recently taken on responsibility for monitoring NHS boards’ food waste. It will collate information on food waste to benchmark performance and support waste reduction by sharing best practice.

NHS Hospitals

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement a patient satisfaction survey in respect of hospital inpatient food.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Better Together Patient Experience Programme is currently undertaking a national survey (launched in January 2010) which includes a question on hospital food. This information will provide the basis for boards to consider whether more detailed research is required locally on the issues. Most NHS boards already conduct local patient experience or patient satisfaction surveys but it is not possible to confirm the detail of these.

  The Better Together Patient Experience Inpatient Survey is one of the ways that NHSScotland will gain a better understanding of inpatients’ experiences. The information collected will be pivotal in helping improve and shape the way care and services are delivered in hospitals across Scotland. This survey will be sent to approximately 64,000 randomly selected inpatients who have had at least one overnight stay within the 14 territorial NHS boards or the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Health Protection budget, as referred to on page 36 of Scotland’s Budget Documents 2010-11: Budget (Scotland) Bill Supporting Document , is distributed.

Nicola Sturgeon: The SPICe Financial Scrutiny Unit has already published a breakdown of the Health Protection budget. The figures are reproduced in the following table:

  

 Health Protection
 2010-11 £ million


 Bloodborne Virus Prevention
 9.5


 Sexual Health Strategy Implementation
 5.1


 Genetic Services
 3.7


 Emergency Planning
 3.0


 Flu Vaccine for Carers
 2.5


 Public Health
 2.1


 Life Begins Health Checks
 1.5


 Other below £1 million
 0.7


 
 28.1

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Improvement and Support of the NHS budget, as referred to on page 36 of Scotland’s Budget Documents 2010-11: Budget (Scotland) Bill Supporting Document , is distributed.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Improvement and Support Team delivers National Improvement Programmes and Performance Support Programmes. National Improvement Programmes account for about 90% of funds. NHS boards receive allocations for local improvement teams that allow staff time for clinical leadership, project management and data analysis.

  The remaining funds are deployed in support of NHS boards who require tailored performance support and on sharing good practice through events and web-based resources.

Nursing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the attrition rate for midwifery students has been in each of the last three cohorts for which information is available (a) at the University of Dundee and (b) in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the latest information available about midwifery student attrition rates for the University of Dundee and for Scotland.

  

 Cohort
 University of Dundee
 Scotland


 2002-03 
 38.5%
 23.8%


 2003-04 
 17.4%
 22.5%


 2004-05 
 22.7%
 22.7%

Nursing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives have graduated from the University of Dundee in each of the last three years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of midwives who graduated from the University of Dundee in each of the last three years:

  

 2006-07
 17 


 2007-08
 24 


 2008-09
 26

Nursing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives who graduated in Scotland in the last three years are now working in England.

Nicola Sturgeon: Once they have graduated, newly qualified midwives are free to apply for and take up posts wherever they wish. The Scottish Government does not track where newly qualified midwives obtain posts.

Nursing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives employed by NHS Tayside are aged 55 and over, also expressed as (a) full-time equivalents and (b) a percentage.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information on the number of midwifery* staff employed by NHS Tayside aged 55 and over expressed as a whole-time equivalent (WTE) is available from National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland from the website link:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4352.htm#staff_in_post.

  Taken from nationally published data, the following table provides the number of midwifery staff employed by NHS Tayside over 55 as (a) whole-time equivalent and (b) as a percentage of the total midwifery staff.

  

 Midwifery* Staff NHS Tayside
 


 Age 55–59
 28.2


 % of Total Staff (WTE)
 11.64


 Age 60-64
 5.9


 % of Total Staff (WTE)
 2.43


 Age 65+
 0.5


 % of Total Staff (WTE)
 0.2


 Total Over 55
 34.6


 % of Total Staff
 14.29


 Total All Age Groups
 242.1



  Source: Information Services Division ISD Scotland, data as at 30 September 2009.

  Note: The data on midwifery staff are for Agenda to Change bands 1–9, which include midwifery support.

Prison Service

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ex-service personnel in prison have a (a) drug and (b) alcohol problem.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information is not available. However as of 15 January 2010, the number of prisoners currently in custody, who reported being ex-service personnel on admission, and who have been referred to the Enhanced Addiction Casework Service for either a drug or alcohol problem, is 41.

Rail Network

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost and (b) timescale is of planned work at Glasgow Central station to provide new platforms to service the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

Stewart Stevenson: (a) The work to provide new platforms is being carried out and financed by Network Rail and the construction cost estimate, approved by the Office of the Rail Regulator is in the region of £10 million.

  (b) The work which commenced in September 2009 is progressing to programme and budget and is due to be completed by Network Rail by May 2010.

Rail Network

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is proceeding with work to provide new platforms at Glasgow Central station despite the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

Stewart Stevenson: The works are proceeding. The new platforms will provide much needed additional capacity at Scotland’s busiest train station as part of a wider programme of enhancement and renewals to the existing Paisley rail corridor, serving Ayrshire and Inverclyde.

Rail Network

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative arrangements are planned for (a) disabled access, (b) drop-off and pick-up passenger points and (c) short-term parking at Glasgow Central station, given the closure of previous facilities.

Stewart Stevenson: Officials have been liaising closely with both Network Rail and Glasgow City Council to ensure that continued access to Glasgow Central for all passengers is maintained both during and following completion of these works.

  (a) disabled access – Step free access points to the station are available in Gordon Street, close to the Union Street corner and Hope Street, opposite Waterloo Street. Passenger drop off can take place in areas designated as loading bays in Union Street and Waterloo Street, in both cases a short walk to these step free entrances. An additional disabled access point exists further down Hope Street, close to the Argyle Street corner. This access provides lift connectivity to both the high level and low level stations and is adjacent to a further loading bay in which passenger drop off can be effected.

  (b) drop-off and pick up passenger points - As described above, drop off can be achieved in designated loading bays positioned in Union Street, Waterloo Street and Hope Street. Passenger pick up can also be undertaken at these locations but general traffic restrictions will prevent vehicles waiting in these loading bays.

  (c) short term parking at Glasgow Central station - in order to carry out the platform work required to provide the much needed capacity enhancement at Glasgow Central Station the short stay car park and pick up / set down facilities within the station closed permanently on 27 September 2009. Commercial car parking facilities in Oswald Street and other locations adjacent to the station also remain available. The NCP Oswald Street car park has step-free access directly onto Platform 15.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made representations to the Department for Transport in favour of the continuation of direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Ministers have made strong representations to Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport, emphasising that we will not accept an overall diminution of services or compromise on journey times for cross border services.

  The Scottish Government wishes to continue to see East Coast services running between Glasgow and London Kings Cross. Cross border rail links make a key contribution to Scotland’s economic prosperity.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made an assessment of the economic benefits of retaining direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland modelling suggests that the removal of services between Glasgow Central and destinations on the East Coast Main Line could generate reductions in the economic welfare of passengers equivalent to approximately £300 million. This value is measured in discounted 2002 prices over a 60-year appraisal period, as is standard in transport appraisal. These welfare disbenefits, measured primarily in terms of increases in time spent travelling, accrue across key passenger flows on the East Coast Main Line between Glasgow and London.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made an assessment of potential benefits in addressing social exclusion by retaining direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.

Stewart Stevenson: While no social impact assessments have been carried out the economic analysis shows that key passenger flows across the East Coast Main Line would be affected. This reflects the concerns of many people who have written to Scottish Ministers requesting that the East Coast service continues, with particular regard to services calling at Motherwell.

Rail Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has a role in determining whether direct London to Glasgow rail services will continue on the east coast main line.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Ministers have a legal right to provide non-binding advice to DfT in respect of cross border passenger services.

Road Accidents

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents involving bicycles and cars have been reported in the last five years, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Stevenson: The following tables show the number of reported injury road accidents where at least one bicycle and a car were involved in the accident.

  

 Council Area
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Aberdeen City
 18
 32
 29
 21
 37


 Aberdeenshire
 19
 13
 16
 10
 15


 Angus
 21
 18
 19
 12
 13


 Argyll and Bute
 8
 7
 5
 8
 9


 Clackmannanshire
 4
 4
 10
 4
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 9
 19
 7
 16
 10


 Dundee City
 17
 14
 25
 14
 21


 East Ayrshire
 16
 15
 6
 7
 8


 East Dunbartonshire
 8
 7
 9
 3
 6


 East Lothian
 15
 8
 9
 15
 7


 East Renfrewshire
 5
 11
 5
 10
 8


 Edinburgh, City of
 123
 134
 155
 131
 139


 Eilean Siar
 2
 2
 0
 0
 1


 Falkirk
 15
 23
 10
 14
 19


 Fife
 31
 24
 32
 35
 27


 Glasgow City
 100
 96
 96
 91
 96


 Highland
 26
 22
 29
 32
 27


 Inverclyde
 8
 8
 6
 5
 8


 Midlothian
 11
 14
 13
 7
 6


 Moray
 9
 12
 11
 10
 12


 North Ayrshire
 10
 21
 19
 14
 13


 North Lanarkshire
 25
 15
 12
 17
 16


 Orkney Islands
 3
 2
 3
 1
 1


 Perth and Kinross
 15
 13
 13
 13
 9


 Renfrewshire
 23
 22
 23
 6
 15


 Scottish Borders
 8
 10
 11
 12
 4


 Shetland Islands
 2
 0
 1
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 22
 21
 12
 13
 9


 South Lanarkshire
 29
 26
 22
 23
 17


 Stirling
 20
 11
 11
 11
 14


 West Dunbartonshire
 9
 10
 11
 6
 5


 West Lothian
 10
 17
 19
 15
 20


 Scotland
 641
 651
 649
 576
 599



  

 Parliamentary Constituency
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Not known
 2
 2
 4
 1
 0


 Aberdeen Central
 5
 17
 14
 9
 20


 Aberdeen North
 2
 4
 4
 3
 6


 Aberdeen South
 11
 11
 10
 9
 11


 Airdrie and Shotts
 6
 3
 2
 4
 4


 Angus
 12
 16
 15
 5
 12


 Argyll and Bute
 5
 7
 5
 6
 7


 Ayr
 13
 18
 7
 7
 3


 Banff and Buchan
 6
 7
 5
 2
 5


 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross
 2
 8
 8
 10
 3


 Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley
 13
 9
 11
 7
 10


 Fife Central
 4
 8
 4
 10
 4


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 5
 7
 7
 2
 1


 Clydesdale
 9
 7
 5
 8
 5


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 2
 4
 4
 5
 1


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 4
 3
 1
 1
 3


 Cunninghame North
 4
 10
 7
 7
 7


 Cunninghame South
 6
 11
 12
 7
 6


 Dumbarton
 7
 5
 6
 6
 6


 Dumfries
 8
 12
 3
 10
 7


 Dundee East
 9
 9
 10
 5
 12


 Dundee West
 8
 5
 14
 10
 7


 Dunfermline East
 5
 3
 6
 6
 4


 Dunfermline West
 4
 2
 10
 5
 9


 East Kilbride
 7
 8
 8
 3
 5


 East Lothian
 13
 7
 4
 9
 6


 Eastwood
 5
 11
 5
 10
 8


 Edinburgh Central
 36
 46
 49
 40
 46


 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
 16
 18
 21
 18
 19


 Edinburgh North and Leith
 21
 31
 40
 21
 27


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 14
 9
 16
 16
 12


 Edinburgh South
 23
 19
 16
 27
 18


 Edinburgh West
 15
 12
 17
 15
 17


 Falkirk East
 8
 12
 5
 4
 10


 Falkirk West
 7
 11
 5
 10
 9


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 1
 7
 4
 6
 3


 Glasgow Anniesland
 8
 5
 8
 9
 6


 Glasgow Baillieston
 6
 6
 6
 5
 5


 Glasgow Cathcart
 6
 9
 6
 8
 11


 Glasgow Govan
 7
 11
 12
 15
 17


 Glasgow Kelvin
 30
 33
 26
 14
 20


 Glasgow Maryhill
 16
 10
 9
 13
 11


 Glasgow Pollok
 14
 7
 6
 11
 8


 Glasgow Rutherglen
 7
 2
 1
 3
 3


 Glasgow Shettleston
 6
 8
 16
 6
 11


 Glasgow Springburn
 7
 7
 7
 9
 8


 Gordon
 5
 1
 6
 5
 2


 Greenock and Inverclyde
 6
 7
 4
 4
 6


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 10
 6
 7
 4
 7


 Hamilton South
 5
 6
 4
 8
 3


 Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber
 19
 12
 14
 16
 20


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 12
 9
 0
 6
 4


 Kirkcaldy
 5
 6
 4
 4
 2


 Linlithgow
 3
 5
 7
 6
 8


 Livingston
 7
 12
 12
 9
 12


 Midlothian
 8
 9
 9
 6
 6


 Moray
 9
 12
 10
 10
 12


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 4
 2
 2
 5
 2


 Fife North East
 13
 5
 8
 10
 8


 Tayside North
 13
 6
 8
 9
 5


 Ochil
 8
 9
 15
 6
 11


 Orkney
 2
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Paisley North
 16
 8
 10
 2
 6


 Paisley South
 3
 13
 9
 2
 3


 Perth
 11
 7
 8
 10
 7


 Ross Skye and Inverness West
 5
 2
 6
 6
 4


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 4
 7
 6
 6
 4


 Shetland
 1
 0
 1
 0
 0


 Stirling
 16
 8
 8
 9
 10


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 8
 5
 7
 3
 6


 Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale
 7
 8
 10
 7
 1


 Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine
 8
 5
 7
 3
 8


 Renfrewshire West
 6
 2
 6
 3
 7


 Western Isles
 2
 2
 0
 0
 1


 Scotland
 641
 651
 649
 576
 599

Road Accidents

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents involving motorcycles and cars have been reported in the last five years, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Stevenson: The following tables show the number of reported injury road accidents where at least one motorcycle and a car were involved in the accident.

  

 Council Area
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Aberdeen City
 44
 44
 33
 45
 38


 Aberdeenshire
 26
 28
 31
 20
 30


 Angus
 6
 13
 14
 11
 12


 Argyll and Bute
 19
 18
 16
 21
 22


 Clackmannanshire
 11
 3
 6
 2
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 13
 16
 24
 24
 13


 Dundee City
 12
 15
 12
 16
 18


 East Ayrshire
 9
 7
 10
 6
 6


 East Dunbartonshire
 9
 6
 4
 2
 5


 East Lothian
 16
 14
 6
 10
 11


 East Renfrewshire
 5
 5
 7
 2
 4


 Edinburgh, City of
 88
 63
 72
 92
 56


 Eilean Siar
 0
 2
 0
 1
 1


 Falkirk
 14
 6
 17
 21
 9


 Fife
 34
 36
 44
 36
 35


 Glasgow City
 58
 63
 55
 39
 38


 Highland
 41
 49
 23
 33
 47


 Inverclyde
 3
 9
 13
 11
 6


 Midlothian
 9
 8
 14
 11
 7


 Moray
 13
 11
 7
 11
 9


 North Ayrshire
 13
 8
 5
 8
 11


 North Lanarkshire
 16
 22
 15
 28
 17


 Orkney Islands
 3
 2
 3
 0
 2


 Perth and Kinross
 13
 31
 27
 22
 18


 Renfrewshire
 18
 12
 18
 18
 19


 Scottish Borders
 15
 19
 7
 22
 20


 Shetland Islands
 0
 2
 0
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 10
 13
 14
 13
 12


 South Lanarkshire
 8
 23
 16
 17
 20


 Stirling
 15
 15
 21
 13
 15


 West Dunbartonshire
 5
 7
 8
 5
 7


 West Lothian
 16
 21
 16
 24
 20


 Scotland
 562
 591
 558
 584
 535



  

 Parliamentary Constituency
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Not known
 2
 4
 4
 1
 4


 Aberdeen Central
 15
 17
 7
 17
 15


 Aberdeen North
 15
 10
 12
 14
 14


 Aberdeen South
 15
 17
 15
 14
 9


 Airdrie and Shotts
 6
 7
 4
 13
 7


 Angus
 3
 12
 10
 8
 9


 Argyll and Bute
 11
 9
 9
 11
 13


 Ayr
 6
 7
 7
 7
 8


 Banff and Buchan
 3
 8
 8
 6
 6


 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross
 5
 5
 6
 8
 12


 Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley
 5
 9
 10
 8
 5


 Fife Central
 7
 11
 4
 4
 8


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 4
 6
 5
 3
 5


 Clydesdale
 2
 10
 3
 6
 7


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 2
 3
 2
 4
 3


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 2
 5
 4
 5
 1


 Cunninghame North
 8
 5
 4
 5
 7


 Cunninghame South
 5
 3
 1
 3
 4


 Dumbarton
 12
 11
 10
 13
 13


 Dumfries
 6
 13
 11
 14
 8


 Dundee East
 9
 5
 6
 9
 9


 Dundee West
 3
 9
 6
 7
 8


 Dunfermline East
 6
 5
 13
 5
 5


 Dunfermline West
 10
 6
 7
 5
 4


 East Kilbride
 3
 6
 5
 6
 4


 East Lothian
 12
 10
 5
 8
 11


 Eastwood
 5
 5
 7
 1
 4


 Edinburgh Central
 17
 13
 11
 23
 13


 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
 18
 13
 14
 20
 5


 Edinburgh North and Leith
 14
 12
 15
 19
 11


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 13
 9
 8
 9
 8


 Edinburgh South
 13
 5
 11
 11
 7


 Edinburgh West
 17
 14
 14
 12
 12


 Falkirk East
 6
 3
 8
 9
 5


 Falkirk West
 8
 4
 8
 10
 4


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 7
 3
 13
 10
 5


 Glasgow Anniesland
 4
 8
 2
 6
 3


 Glasgow Baillieston
 4
 4
 2
 3
 3


 Glasgow Cathcart
 3
 5
 3
 2
 4


 Glasgow Govan
 10
 7
 10
 3
 8


 Glasgow Kelvin
 17
 11
 10
 8
 9


 Glasgow Maryhill
 4
 6
 5
 2
 2


 Glasgow Pollok
 4
 3
 5
 5
 1


 Glasgow Rutherglen
 2
 3
 5
 3
 2


 Glasgow Shettleston
 11
 13
 6
 7
 5


 Glasgow Springburn
 3
 6
 10
 4
 4


 Gordon
 15
 13
 14
 7
 15


 Greenock and Inverclyde
 3
 5
 10
 10
 4


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 4
 5
 3
 3
 8


 Hamilton South
 0
 3
 5
 1
 1


 Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber
 21
 20
 11
 14
 17


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 8
 4
 7
 4
 5


 Kirkcaldy
 4
 2
 4
 6
 7


 Linlithgow
 6
 7
 9
 12
 6


 Livingston
 10
 13
 8
 12
 13


 Midlothian
 6
 8
 14
 9
 8


 Moray
 12
 10
 6
 10
 7


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 4
 4
 2
 4
 4


 Fife North East
 7
 12
 15
 14
 9


 Tayside North
 9
 13
 14
 12
 14


 Ochil
 14
 11
 10
 8
 9


 Orkney
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Paisley North
 9
 5
 9
 8
 10


 Paisley South
 5
 6
 3
 6
 5


 Perth
 6
 15
 14
 12
 7


 Ross Skye and Inverness West
 15
 24
 6
 11
 18


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 6
 8
 4
 12
 12


 Shetland
 0
 2
 0
 0
 0


 Stirling
 13
 12
 20
 11
 14


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 5
 4
 4
 1
 3


 Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale
 12
 11
 3
 12
 8


 Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine
 8
 8
 9
 8
 11


 Renfrewshire West
 2
 5
 9
 5
 5


 Western Isles
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Scotland
 562
 591
 558
 584
 535

Roads

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support it will provide to (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire to deal with the effects of the recent adverse weather conditions on local roads.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-9221 on 21 January 2010. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the official report can be viewed at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0121-02.htm#Col22993

Rural Development

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural shows and galas there have been in each year since 1999.

Richard Lochhead: The number of rural shows and galas held in each year since 1999 is not a figure that is held by the Scottish Government. It is noted that the show listing for 2010 in the Scottish Farmer of 2 January 2010 advertises approximately 100 agricultural shows and associated events.

Scottish Development International

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Scottish Development International’s (SDI) annual accounts do not appear to be in the public domain.

Jim Mather: As part of the joint venture between the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, SDI’s activities are included in Scottish Enterprise’s annual accounts.

Scottish Development International

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of (a) the structure, broken down by (i) directorate or department and (ii) senior staff, and (b) remuneration levels for (i) senior staff and (ii) board members of Scottish Development International.

Jim Mather: Scottish Development International is headed by its interim CEO, David Smith and consists of the following directorates: Scotland Europa; Group Services; Trade and Investment Scotland; Trade and Investment Americas; Trade and Investment Europe, Middle East and Africa; Trade and Investment Asia/Pacific and Sales, Marketing and Development.

  SDI’s senior staff is at director and senior director level for Scottish Enterprise employees and C2 level for Scottish Government employees. The salary band for a director is £41,230 - £53,260 and the salary band for a senior director is £50,550 - £61,550. The C2 salary band is £48,544 - £62,493. The salary band for the CEO is £62,390 - £101,410. We are unable to provide any more detail due to data protection restrictions.

  SDI is overseen by a management board consisting of the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Lena Wilson, whose salary to 31 March 2009 was £176,000; the Director General Economy and Chief Economic Adviser at the Scottish Government, Andrew Goudie, whose salary is £135,000 - 140,000 and the Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, whose salary in 2009 was £100,858.

Scottish Development International

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what companies attended the recent Scottish Development International trade mission to Israel and what the cost of the mission was.

Jim Mather: The names of the companies participating in the mission is not in the public domain because of the commercially sensitive nature of this information.

  The budget for the mission was £10,000. These funds have not all been drawn down as yet.

Scottish Development International

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Development International’s standard procedures are for the setting up and delivery of trade missions.

Jim Mather: Scottish Development International’s programme of international trade missions is arranged according to what would best meet the objectives of its Trade and Investment teams and are arranged in accordance with UK Trade and Investment’s trade guidelines. All trade missions are approved by SDI’s chief executive.

Scottish Development International

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement Scottish Development International has in Thistle Healthcare Ltd’s proposed visit to Israel in February 2010.

Jim Mather: Scottish Development International has no involvement in this proposed visit.

Scottish Government Staff

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants in the directorates under the responsibility of the Director-General Health and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland initiated grievance procedures against their employer in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09.

John Swinney: Under the Scottish Government’s normal grievance procedures, grievances are handled by local line management and there is no central information available on the numbers of cases raised.

  Grievances raised under the Dignity at Work policy are co-ordinated within the HR function. It is therefore possible to identify the number of cases raised. The Dignity at Work grievance cases initiated in Director-General Health and Chief Executive are set out below:

  April 2005 – March 2006 – 0 cases

  April 2006 - March 2007 – 0 cases

  April 2007 – March 2008 – 0 cases

  April 2008 – March 2009 – 0 cases.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Water charged for domestic water consumption in 2008-09, also broken down by property valuation band.

Stewart Stevenson: The total value of unmeasured household charges (water and sewerage) billed for 2008-09 is £710.36 million (at end October 2009).

  Unmeasured charges for individual households in 2008-09 were as follows:

  

 Council Tax Band
 A*
 A
 B
 C
 D
 E
 F
 G
 H


 Water
£99.00
£118.80
£138.60
£158.40
£178.20
£217.80
£257.40
£297.00
£356.40


 Waste Water
£111.85
£134.22
£156.59
£178.96
£201.33
£246.07
£290.81
£335.55
£402.66


 Both Services
£210.85
£253.02
£295.19
£337.36
£379.53
£463.87
£548.21
£632.55
£759.06



  Households may receive up to 25% discount on the above charges depending on their circumstances.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much debt Scottish Water accrued for domestic water consumption in 2008-09, also broken down by property valuation band.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Water accrued £17 million for household bad debt in 2008-09. This is not broken down across property valuation bands.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water has the power to write off debt.

Stewart Stevenson: Under Section 25 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, Scottish Water can engage in any activity which it considers is not inconsistent with the economic, efficient and effective exercise of its core functions. Scottish Water can therefore write off debt and it does so in accordance with the debt write off policies of local authorities.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the affordability of water for low-income households.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government’s policy on water and sewerage charges for the 2010-15 period was set out in its Principles of Charging Statement which was published on 27 October 2009.

  The Statement sets out the Scottish Government’s policy of charge caps that are affordable and do not rise above inflation across the period. It explicitly requires the bandings for household water and sewerage charges to replicate council tax bandings, with reductions on water and sewerage charges also mirroring the discounts that apply to council tax. It also provides for those in receipt of council tax benefit to receive up to 25% discount on their charges if they receive no other reduction or discount.

  These measures to secure the affordability of water for low income households in Scotland can be compared positively to the rest of Great Britain where average household charges are greater than in Scotland, where charges are increasing at a greater rate over the next five years, where there is no mirroring of council tax reductions and where those on council tax benefit are not eligible for a discount.

  The full details of the statement can be viewed at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0088612.pdf.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a forum to consider the affordability of water for low-income households.

Stewart Stevenson: No. The Scottish Government consulted on its policy on water and sewerage charges in 2008 for the 2010-15 period. Policy was subsequently set out in the Scottish Government’s Principles of Charging Statement which was published on 27 October 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30648 on 26 January 2010 for further details of that policy. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost Scottish Water to collect domestic water charges in 2008-09, broken down by property valuation band.

Stewart Stevenson: The total cost of billing and collection of unmeasured household charges via the 32 local authorities across Scotland was £14.06 million in 2008-09. Each local authority is paid a set amount for the billing and collection of water charges for every domestic property in their area, irrespective of its property valuation band.

Scottish Water

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is taking forward recommendations in the Waterwatch Scotland report, Affordability of Scottish Household Water and Sewerage Charges: Historic Trends and Current Position , and, if so, which recommendations.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has already responded to Waterwatch Scotland about this report on 10 September 2008. Following consultation in 2008 the Scottish Government’s policy on water and sewerage charges for the 2010-15 period was set out in its Principles of Charging Statement which was published on 27 October 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30648 on 26 January 2010 for further details of that policy. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the Moray House School of Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at Jordanhill College of Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the Stirling Institute of Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the University of Dundee School of Education, Social Work and Community Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the University of Aberdeen School of Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the University of Glasgow Faculty of Education.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the reduction in the budget for initial teacher education will be on the number of places at the University of the West of Scotland School of Education.

Michael Russell: The allocation of places in initial teacher education to individual institutions is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. Decisions on intakes in 2010 have yet to be finalised and the Funding Council will announce details in their annual grant announcement in March. However, ministers have made clear their views that due to unacceptable levels of teacher unemployment intakes should be cut. We are in discussions with universities as to how the impact of reductions in intakes can be managed.

Tourism

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value to the economy is of wildlife tourism, excluding shooting and stalking.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government commissioned research into the economic impact of wildlife tourism in early 2009. This research covers non-consumptive wildlife tourism and therefore does exclude shooting and stalking. The study is ongoing and is planned to be completed in the spring.

Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bus monitoring officer posts there have been in the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland area in each year since their inception and how many such posts were funded by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

Stewart Stevenson: The post of Bus Compliance Officer (BCO) was created within the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) in 1999. The role of BCOs is to monitor bus services to ensure that they are operating in line with their service registrations. BCOs provide reports to the Traffic Commissioner who decides on what action should be taken. The following table outlines the number of posts there have been in the Scottish Traffic Area. Since 1999 VOSA have funded two BCO posts in Scotland. The remaining posts are funded by the Scottish Government. BCOs operate throughout Scotland.

  In addition, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) created a specific bus warden role in 2008 in order to improve bus services in the SPT area. SPT bus wardens provide reports to the Traffic Commissioner when they see non-compliant operations. SPT bus wardens only operate within the SPT area.

  

 Year
 VOSA BCOs
 SPT Bus Wardens


 1999
 2
 -


 2000
 2
 -


 2001
 2
 -


 2002
 2
 -


 2003
 2
 -


 2004
 4
 -


 2005
 4
 -


 2006
 6
 -


 2007
 6
 -


 2008
 6
 5 to 9


 2009
 6
 11


 2010
 6
 14



  Source: VOSA and SPT.

Transport

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who was responsible for the closure of access roads to the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort on 10 January 2010.

Stewart Stevenson: The operators, Cairngorm Mountain Ski Centre, closed the centre in the interests of public safety due to a two day blizzard which resulted in 15ft snow drifts and parts of the funicular railway track also being buried under drifting snow. This was an entirely appropriate decision in view of the extreme weather conditions at the time.

  Any decision to close access roads would be a matter for between Transport Scotland, Highland Council and Northern Constabulary.

Transport

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort regarding the impact of the closure of (a) access roads on 9-10 January 2009 and (b) the funicular railway on 10 January 2010.

Stewart Stevenson: In view of the extreme weather affecting the whole of Scotland on the weekend referred to, it was not necessary for the Scottish Government to contact the Cairngorm ski resort as any decisions regarding access to the resort were the responsibility of the operators of the ski centre, Transport Scotland and the local roads authority, having also taken advice on safety issues from Northern Constabulary.

Transport

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, given the potential economic benefit resulting from good skiing conditions, whether concerns have been expressed regarding the impact that difficulties in accessing ski resorts may have and what its response has been.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not been made aware of any concerns regarding access to skiing activities during the period of extreme weather conditions that affected many aspects of public life in Scotland.

Voluntary Sector

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations successful in seeking funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund and how much each was allocated.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations applied to the Third Sector Resilience Fund and how much was applied for in total.

Jim Mather: One hundred and eighty-nine organisations applied to the Third Sector Resilience Fund but a significant proportion of these applications did not meet the eligibility criteria. A final decision has not yet been made as to which applications have been successful and an announcement will be made shortly.